Coffee is enjoyed across the world for its rich flavor and energizing effects. Historians believe that the Horn of Africa is the birthplace of coffee, specifically Somalia and Ethiopia.
The first written account of roasting and brewing coffee comes from 15th century Yemen, suggesting that the use of coffee extended across the Red Sea to South Arabia.
Where do coffee beans come from?
Coffee beans are the seeds from plants of the Coffea genus. There are hundreds of Coffea plants but only two of them are grown commercially to produce coffee: Coffea arabica and Coffea canephora.
These plants are native to the hot, tropical climates of southern Africa and Asia. In the 21st century, coffee plants are also grown in the Caribbean and across South and Central America.
Who invented coffee?
Popular legend states that Kaldi, a goatherd in 9th century Ethiopia, first discovered the stimulating effects of coffee after seeing his goats eat coffee beans straight from the shrub.
However, as this story didn’t appear until centuries later, it is widely believed to be legend, rather than fact.
Islamic mystics, known as Sufis, were the first people known to use coffee around 1401.
When did people begin to farm coffee?
Throughout the 15th century, small coffee plantations in Yemen and coastal regions of eastern Africa provided the world with coffee. As popularity grew the farms had to escalate to meet demand.
Coffee plantations were established across the islands of Indonesia by the 17th century and eventually reached south America by the 18th century.
When did people begin to trade coffee?
Coffee was first traded in small quantities across the Red Sea between Ethiopian farmers and Yemeni religious practitioners. Upon seeing the popularity of coffee among Sufi mystics and their followers, farmers in Yemen established their own coffee plantations.
An extensive coffee trade system grew between Yemen and the rest of the Arabian Peninsula. Coffee was brought to Amsterdam by traders in 1616 and sparked the European coffee craze of the 1600s.
This led to an explosion in trade between Sri Lanka, Southern India, and Europe.
Who first used coffee?
Accounts by Ahmed al-Ghaffar detail the use of coffee in 15th century Yemen. He describes how coffee beans were dried, roasted, then brewed following a method which hasn’t changed much in the hundreds of years since.
As the exact origin of coffee as a beverage are difficult to specify, it is likely that other cultures used coffee at the same time or even before – but to date al-Ghaffar’s writings are the only provable record of early coffee use.
What was coffee originally used for?
Following the 15th century accounts of coffee brewing, the most popular way for it to be used was as a concentration aid.
Records dating from the 16th century have shown that coffee was used across the Middle East as a concentration aid when studying and praying.
Was coffee used as a medicine?
Strictly speaking, no. China has a long history of traditional medicine, and this included the leaves and berries from other plants of the Coffea family.
Raw green coffee plant seeds were used to treat liver imbalances, as well as to purge the gall bladder of impurities. Although not technically coffee, these raw beans were also used to improve energy – a testament to their caffeine content.
How did coffee get its name?
The word coffee can be traced back through various languages and cultures. When coffee was first cultivated in Yemen it was called qahwah. By the time it reached Turkey it had become kahveh, then koffie in the Netherlands and eventually coffee in English.
Which country produces the most coffee in 2021?
In 2010 the global coffee industry was valued at $20 billion. In 2021 that figure had grown to an incredible $465.9 billion.
Coffee was introduced to Brazil in 1727 and by the 1830s it had become the world’s largest exporter of coffee.
Today Brazil is still the biggest global coffee producer, responsible for 35% of the world’s coffee supply.
Which country drinks the most coffee?
Scandinavia leads the world for pounds of coffee consumed per capita with Finland topping the list at 26.5 lbs, followed by Norway, Iceland, and Denmark.
Despite their coffee culture, the USA ranks 26th with just 9.7 lbs of coffee per capita.
When did coffee become popular?
The popularization of coffee in the Middle East during the 15th century led to coffee houses opening in Egypt and Cairo. Over the next few hundred years coffee was regularly banned and then reinstated depending on variable religious and cultural attitudes.
Once coffee arrived in Europe in the mid-1500s it developed a growing fan base which gave rise to coffee houses springing up in cities across Europe.
Coffee became more popular than tea in the USA following the 1773 Boston Tea Party, a tradition which perseveres to this day.
Was coffee banned when it was first discovered?
Because coffee has a stimulating effect, it has gone through phases of being banned in different countries, cultures, and religions across the world.
The first documented time that coffee was banned was in Mecca in 1511 because it was thought to encourage radical thinking and loitering.
Later, the Catholic church declared it to be the “drink of the Devil” and it was banned until the Pope took a liking to it and it was reinstated.
A 1674 petition by women in the UK accused coffee of causing impotence among men and called for its prohibition, but this was never passed into law.
Can coffee grow anywhere?
Coffee plants can only grow in very particular climates. They favor high altitudes, distinct dry and wet seasons, sufficient sun, and stable temperatures.
The coffee belt is a geographical band that stretches east to west across the center of the planet. Areas within the coffee belt are some of the only places in the world where the particular climate requirements for coffee farming can be found.
Hi, I’m Jen Williams, chief editor and writer for ThirstPerk.com.
I’ve been drinking coffee and tea for most of my life, but it wasn’t until I started working at Thirstperk.com that I became an expert on the subject. I’m a total caffeine addict who has spent hours upon hours reading about and experimenting with the different types of coffees out there in my search to find the perfect cup of joe.
I’ve been a tea lover for as long as I can remember as well. I grew up in a house with a mom who loved to drink herbal tea, and I think that’s where my love for tea first began. These days, I’m always on the lookout for new and interesting teas to try, and I love experimenting with different brewing methods and flavoring combinations.
